Artificial ear-drum.



L. P. VALIQUET.

ARTIFICIAL BAR DRUM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.8,1909.

1 45,917, Patented Dec.3,1912.

LOUIS P. VALIQUET, OF NEWARK, NEW

ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUM.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 3, lfiitl Application filed March 8, 1808. Serial No. 1,877.

Ear-Drums, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to artificial aids to hearing, and comprises an apparatus which ,I call an artificial ear drum and which is designed to improve the hearing of persons partly deaf.

The best form of apparatus at present known to me, embodying my invention, is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a section through a portion of the head of a human being, showing the hearing organs, and my apparatus in position. Fig. 2 is an end View in detail of a portion of my apparatus, and Figs. 3, and

5 show details in section.

Throughout the drawings, like reference figures indicate like parts.

1 represents the outer portion of the human ear, and 2 the canal leading to the ear drum 3. The little bone called the hammer which presses against the inside of the ear drum is shown at 4., while 5 is the bone .calledthe anvil and 6 the stirrup. These bones are located in the space 7 called the middle ear and in the normal person transfer the vibrations of the ear drum 3 to the internal ear'8, composed of spiral canals and nerve filaments.

Deafness may result from perforation or disease of the ear drum 3, or from other causes which render the transmission of vibrations more diliicult, or to diseased conditions of the internal ear which render it less sensitive. My invention helps the patient to hear better in all these cases by magnifying the vibrations which are delivered to the bone 4-, called the hammer.

My invention comprises the tube 9 adapted to fit into the ear canal and preferably composed of three telescoping sections 10, i1 and 12. The outer section 10, made of -metal or hard rubber, or other resonant material, has a flaring portion 21 in which is mounted a diaphragm 22, preferably made of mica. This diaphragm is usually held in place by the wax or cement 13,- and by the outer ring 14. The middle section of tube 11, is made of similar material to the outer section and is usually given the reversed or S-shaped curvature indicated in the draw, ing, so that, by turning it around, the tube as a Whole may fit better into the diiierently curved passages of the ear canal, in different persons. The inner section 12 is made of thin india rubber and terminates in a small diaphragm 1.5 which is slanted so as to lie flat against the ear drum opposite where the hammer bone a touches the inner side of the ear drum.

16 is a cross piece on the outer flaring por-- tion. 21 which serves as a handle for remov ing the apparatus and as a guard for the outer diaphragm.

In use the outer part or section lG-is cast to fit the ear of the useigan impression in wax being first taken. The sections'll and 12 are twisted so as to best fit into the ear canal and bring the inner diaphragm in complete contact with the ear drum. In practice the apparatus will more nearly fill the ear canal than is indicated in Fig. 1, the drawing having been made with open spaces for clearness of illustration.

The operation of: my invention is as follows: On assembling the parts a body of air is confined in the tube 9 betweenthe two diaphragms and 15. The exterior sound waves of the atmosphere strike the larger diaphragm 22 and give it vibrations of a certain amplitude, say one thousandth of an inch each. If the confined air were an compressible fluid, it would compel the smaller, inner diaphragm 15 to make vibrations of approximately as many times greater amplitude as diaphragm 22 is larger in area than diaphragm 15. Even though the air is elastic, the structure tends to concentrate or exaggerate the vibrations of the larger outer diaphragm upon the smaller inner one through the action of the confined air, and reproduce them in greater ampli tnde, and asthis diaphragm. rests directly upon the hammer bone 4-, the etl'ect is pronounced, even it the ear drum 3 is perforated or diseased so as to be unable to perform its normal functions. Furthermore, the outer portion of the tube, beingot metal or other resonant material, is sharp-1y vibrated by the sound waves oi. the atmosphere, and doubt less these vibrations are in part transmitted by molecular vibration through the walls of the inner tube and diaphragm to the'haina), lifa mer bone against which the latter rests. Whatever the principle of operation, null'iell'ilh experiments have shown that in a niaioi'ny at er o't deafness the hearing is greatly irn iro: d by insertion of the above described amiaratus in the patients ear, it said apparatus is of the proper shape to fit the and the eanal and lie flat against the ear drum.

Haring, therefore, described my inventioin l claim:

1. In an artificial ear drum the combination of a tube with a flaring outer portion, a diaphragm in said flaring outer portion, and a smaller diaphragm at the inner end of the tube adapted to rest snugly against the ear drum.

2. in an artitiei: l ear drum the combination oi. a tube with a flaring outer portion, a diaphragm in said llaring outer portion, and a smaller diaphragm at the inner end of the Lulu adapted to rest snugly against the ear drum, the inner end of the tube and the small diaphragm being formed of india rubber.

3. In an artificial ear drum the eomhination of a tube with a flaring outer ortxion, n diaphragm in said flaring outer portioin and a smaller diaphragm at the inner end of the tube adapted to rest snugly against the ear 5 drum, the inner end of the tube and the small diaphragm being formed of india ruliher, and the outer portion of the tube and its flaring end being formed of metal.

1-. In an artificial ear drum the combination of a tube of substantially air tight construction adapted to fit, into the ear canal, and two diaphragms across said tube one at each end thereof.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this (3th day of March, 1909.

LOUIS l VALIQUET.

\Vitn esses lVAL'rER H. PUMrinu-n', M. G. CRAWFORD. 

